Illustrator: Ken Min

Language(s): English

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When young Rae witnesses an ice cream-and-doggie mishap, she's inspired to create a big-scale solution to help get dogs clean. Rae draws on her determination, resilience, and courage until she--and everyone else in her community--learns just what it means to be an entrepreneur.

Named a 2017 Best STEM Book of the Year by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in cooperation with the Children's Book Council (CBC).

Recommended by Cool Mom Picks as an Empowering Gift for Girls Who Keep on Keeping On in their 2016 Holiday Gift Guide!

"Inspires young dreamers to find the courage to be doers."--Jerry Greenfield, Co-Founder, Ben & Jerry's

"'What Does It Mean To Be An Entrepreneur' distills the very essence of the entrepreneurial spirit. DiOrio and Dryden capture the emotional, physical, and intellectual rigor of entrepreneurship in this wonderfully illustrated book which is sure to engage and inspire readers of all ages."--Shamini Dhana, Founder & CEO, Dhana Inc.

"The value of entrepreneurship becomes accessible to young children through vibrant, cartoon-like illustrations and a story about an adventurous, spunky little girl. Rae tries to find a solution for cleaning dogs after seeing one get ice cream splashed all over itself. She learns that through qualities such as initiative to solve problems, fearlessness, curiosity, risk taking, humility, confidence, learning from mistakes, and determination, one can generate an original idea and become an entrepreneur. The book’s vocabulary can prompt discussions with young readers. The light hearted approach to this important topic would appeal to children and leave them with the assurance that entrepreneurship is not only for adults."—School Library Connection, Recommended

"This book aims to foster a positive entrepreneurial spirit in young readers. It offers a fun approach to a difficult concept, beginning with an explanation about what an entrepreneur should not be about (money, elitism) and moving forward to exploring more inspiring motives (problem-solving, curiosity, the desire to help others). Featuring diverse characters, the illustrations provide most of the story line....Young readers will delight in the wacky ideas (a dog-washing robot) and will feel a sense of accomplishment and wonder with Rae's success in the final spread. The text does employ important but challenging vocabulary words, such as entrepreneur, initiative, and innovative. VERDICT While children may not select this title on their own, it would be a useful addition to collections to inspire creativity.—School Library Journal